Review: Between the Sea and the Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore

  Title: Between the Sea and the Sky    Pages: 240
  Author: Jaclyn Dolamore                     Source: Netgalley
  Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's        Published: Oct 25, 2011
  Series: ??                                            Purchase: Amazon
  Rating: 4 out of 5

For as long as Esmerine can remember, she has longed to join her older sister, Dosinia, as a siren--the highest calling a mermaid can have. When Dosinia runs away to the mainland, Esmerine is sent to retrieve her. Using magic to transform her tail into legs, she makes her way unsteadily to the capital city. There she comes upon a friend she hasn't seen since childhood--a dashing young man named Alandare, who belongs to a winged race of people. As Esmerine and Alandare band together to search for Dosinia, they rekindle a friendship . . . and ignite the emotions for a love so great, it cannot be bound by sea, land, or air.

I absolutely love mermaid mythology and Jaclyn Dolamore created a wonderful novel to add to the growing number of great YA mermaid books out there.

I loved Esmerine from beginning to end. She was so thirsty for knowledge and so naive from spending all her life with the sea and horrible tales of the human world. I loved how much she grew throughout Between the Sea and Sky, it really seemed like she understood the importance of where you come from and not to just forget about it.

I loved what romance there was between Esmerine and Alandare, but I understood their fear of falling completely in love, that they would have to go back to their lives after their adventure together was over. It was also very fitting for the time period they seemed to be living in.

The plot and writing were pretty simple, yet poetic at times. This was a fun, feel-good novel to take a break from more heavier, depressing novels out there. I loved that about Between the Sea and the Sky. I could literally read it in one sitting and not feel too overwhelmed with negative emotions.

Overall, Between the Sea and the Sky was a noteworthy addition to the mermaid genre. I would highly recommend it to fans of mermaids or paranormal romance in general. I would also recommend it as a great entrance into either the mermaid or paranormal genre.

Cover thoughts: I absolutely love this cover! I mean look at it, it's just simply gorgeous! The waves behind her almost look like they are forming wings. No. More. Words.

I give Between the Sea and the Sky a 4 out of 5.

Review: The Academy by T.P. Boje

  Title: The Academy                   Pages: 264
  Author: T.P. Boje                      Source: Author
  Publisher: CreateSpace            Published: Oct 10, 2011
  Series: Afterlife #1                    Purchase: Amazon
  Rating: 4 out of 5

Have you ever wondered where you go when you die? Meghan is 16 when it happens to her. She wakes up on a flying steamboat on her way to a school run by Angels in a white marble castle. On the boat she meets Mick who has been dead for more than a hundred years but still looks like he is a teenager. He helps her through the difficult beginning at the new school in a new world filled with heavenly magic.

One day some of Meghan's roommates find a mirror in the cellar of the school and they persuade her to go through it with them - well knowing it is strictly against the rules of the school. Meghan ends up back on earth where she meets Jason. But Jason is in danger and Meghan knows something important.

Soon she is forced to choose between the two worlds. The one she belongs to now, and the one she left.

The Academy had a premise that jumped out at me, one I had not heard of before, which is a great thing with so many similar plots out there.

The characters of The Academy could have been developed a bit more. I didn't feel like I knew the characters as well as some other novels and I wished that their appearances and personalities were described more. However, I'm hoping that book two will shed more light on them.

I also would like to have known how Meghan died and more about her life as a human. It seemed like everyone else had their stories, yet Meghan's was a mystery. Luckily, there were some clues and it seems like that's something that's going to be revealed as the series goes on.

The plot was incredibly unique and I enjoyed learning about the Afterlife world. T.P. Boje did a wonderful job carving out the beginning of the world, as well as the lore that came with it. The plot was pretty straight-forward, but there were a couple twists I did not expect. Also, some of the themes that were presented in the plot surprised me, as they were a lot darker than I expected when talking about some of the students' deaths, but welcome nonetheless. I felt this added a lot of reality to the characters, instead of everyone dying a natural, peaceful death.

The writing wasn't the best for my personal taste. The dialogue just seemed to be a bit old-fashioned. At times it was awkward and almost forced. This is another thing I see getting better with time, though, and something I grew pretty used to. Despite some of the writing, I actually found myself laughing out loud at the more humorous moments.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Academy and tried to go in with no expectations, because I had never heard of this book, therefore I hadn't heard any positive or negative things about it. I wasn't disappointed and will definitely be checking out book two. I recommend this to fans of the paranormal genre and ghosts/spirits.

Cover thoughts: I like this cover, and how the hands are trying to touch. This is a major problem for new students at the Academy, to grab and hold onto solid objects. This is something they learn, though, and I think it greatly symbolizes the story.

I give The Academy a 4 out of 5.

Review: Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions by Various Authors

  Title: Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions               Pages: 464
  Author: Various Authors                                     Source: Library
  Publisher: HarperCollins                                     Published: Sept 20, 2011
  Series: N/A                                                       Purchase: Amazon
  Rating: 4 out of 5

A journey may take hundreds of miles, or it may cover the distance between duty and desire.

Sixteen of today’s hottest writers of paranormal tales weave stories on a common theme of journeying. Authors such as Kelley Armstrong, Rachel Caine, and Melissa Marr return to the beloved worlds of their bestselling series, while others, like Claudia Gray, Kami Garcia, and Margaret Stohl, create new land-scapes and characters. But whether they’re writing about vampires, faeries, angels, or other magical beings, each author explores the strength and resilience of the human heart.

Suspenseful, funny, or romantic, the stories in Enthralled will leave you moved.

Giovanni’s Farewell by Claudia Gray: This one was such a cute and light story to start out this wonderful book of anthologies. I thoroughly enjoyed all three main characters in this and just found it so sweet that Giovanni wanted something so simple. Both Ravenna and Cairo’s gifts interested me and I loved the way Claudia Gray handled them and their back story.

Scenic Route by Carrie Ryan: I loved loved loved this one. I absolutely fell in love with The Forest of Hands and Teeth and this was such a nice addition to her carefully thought of world. Both Margie and Sally captured my heart from the beginning and I was gunning for them. The ending surprised me and I may have let a few tears go. Just perfect.

Red Run by Kami Garcia: I loved this one as well. It reminded me of Supernatural, the TV show and Anna Dressed in Blood (just based on the description, I have not read this at the time of review). If you liked either of those, you’d probably like this one. The characters in this one are great, Kami Garcia really worked her twenty-some pages and made them shine.

Things About Love by Jackson Pearce: This is probably one of the two most unique stories in this anthology, right there along side Mary E. Pearson’s Gargouille. I mean have you ever read a story about genies, young adult or not? I haven’t and I haven’t heard of any either. I really enjoyed how much lore Jackson Pearce stuffed into this story, without making you feel overwhelmed by new lingo you have never heard of. She handled the topic of genies or Jinn, as they are referred to in Things About Love, with ease. The second thing I loved about this short story was that the main character was gay. I have never had the pleasure of reading a story where the main character is gay, but I feel that Things About Love was just a gateway to them for me.

Niederwald by Rachel Vincent: I loved the world and atmosphere of this one and it cemented my wanting to read the Soul Screamers series. I loved Sabine’s character, she is so snarky and kick-ass, even when she needs her ass saved. Emma was also a very likeable character, she was so brave even when she was scared and I loved that about her, even if it made her act a bit dumb (going into a house full of harpies that want to eat you? Yeah not the brightest idea, Emma). I devoured this story and I’m sure I’ll devour the Soul Screamer series.

Merely Mortal by Melissa Marr: I think Melissa Marr named this story on purpose, because it’s an alliteration when you put ‘by Melissa Marr’ next to it. Anyway, I did not care for Wicked Lovely that much, and have yet to read any of the other novels in the series, but I did like this short story. It revealed some spoilers of the story to me, as did some of the other short stories that were part of the authors’ novels in this anthology, but that didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would. This story was very sweet and I loved the coupling of Keenan and Donia when I read Wicked Lovely and I loved it in Merely Mortal. Keenan is so caring towards Donia and they share such humorous banter between the two of them. Merely Mortal made me want to continue the Wicked Lovely series.

Facing Facts by Kelley Armstrong: I really enjoyed this short story, though I was most disappointed by this one for its spoilers, because of the fact that I enjoyed it so much. I feel that I cannot enjoy the Darkest Powers trilogy as much because it seems like such major spoilers were revealed, that I would have found surprising otherwise. This was the only drawback to this story. The rest I fully enjoyed and I loved the uniqueness of Chloe’s powers. I enjoyed the characters, though I am not a fan of Derek, because he seems far too protective and controlling, though I’m hoping this will change when I read the series. This is definitely a series I’ll be reading soon, though, all thanks to this short story.

Let’s Get this Undead Show on the Road by Sarah Rees Brennan: This was one of the stories I did not like of the anthology. I liked the premise, but the whole plot seemed way too over the top sometimes. It also seemed very confusing in some parts, because of how it was written. I just couldn’t get into this one, though I will definitely check out the author to see if anything else of hers works for me.

Bridge by Jeri Smith-Ready: This was another story I loved. I loved that it was written in verse and I loved the premise and plot of it. It was definitely one of the more emotional short stories, besides Scenic Route and Skin Contact. Bridge had such a poetic vibe to it, I was invested from the start. Definitely another that made me want to read the series it’s attached to.

Skin Contact by Kimberly Derting: This was another one of my favorites. I love Kimberly Derting and have been desperately wanting to read Desires of the Dead, since I completely devoured The Body Finder. Skin Contact is completely heart-wrenching and another that brought tears to my eyes. Rafe was such a beautiful character, even though he didn’t seem that loving to Sophie some of the time. Kimberly Derting has such a way with words, spinning descriptions into such picturesque scenes that become so vivid in your head. I saw the environment perfectly and it made it even more upsetting, as the environment wasn’t exactly a happy one. I loved this one, without a doubt.

Leaving by Allie Condie: This was another story I couldn’t get into. Overall I liked it, but it seemed to have way too much packed into it. It seemed like a bunch of lingo was thrown at you without the proper explanation. I guessed what some things meant. I liked the idea, but it just fell a little flat for me.

At the Late Night, Double Feature, Picture Show by Jessica Verday: I really liked this short story! It was so humorous and so interesting. The zombie Girl Scouts made me laugh, they were such a great idea. Jane was such a great heroine, as well. She was so kick-ass and snarky, just like Sabine from Niederwald. I especially loved the ‘drag queen’ vampires, they were described so perfectly. This short story was placed perfectly, such a light read after a couple heavier stories. I will definitely be checking out Jessica’s Hollow series.

IV League by Margaret Stohl: I really enjoyed this story. It was another more light-hearted story and was very welcome from me. I loved the authentic feel of the dialogue and narration, it really felt like it was coming from a small-town girl that didn’t grow up with big words and SAT scores. She forged her transcripts! I loved the supernatural element to this as well, it seemed to be a unique take on the vampire subject.

Gargouille by Mary E. Pearson: This one was simply wonderful and so very unique. Like genies, have you ever read a gargoyle short story or novel? I certainly haven’t and Mary E. Pearson wrote it beautifully. My heart went out to Giselle and her love with Etienne felt real. I love Pearson’s writing style with this, it’s so poetic and Gothic. Another of my favorites from this anthology and the ending was simply perfect.

The Third Kind by Jennifer Lynn Barnes: This one was very interesting and I really liked it. It seemed very unique to me. Kissy was written absolutely perfectly, so impulsive and care-free despite her ‘pulses. Her love of McDonalds and the chimichanga scene were absolutely hilarious. I loved the mix of heaviness and lightness of this novel, it was so light-hearted, yet the supernatural element was definitely not. Imagine a guy with pure black eyes, like a reptile’s, saying he has to kill you. Creepy.

Automatic by Rachel Caine: I own the first two volumes to the Morganville Vampire series and this made me quite excited to read them. I loved Rachel’s writing style and the vividness behind her words. I don’t normally read novels with a male main character, so Automatic was a bit different for me, but I loved the characters and the plot.

 

Top 5 favorites of this anthology, in order:

1. Scenic Route by Carrie Ryan

2. Skin Contact by Kimberly Derting

3. Gargouille by Mary E. Pearson

4. Bridge by Jeri Smith-Ready

5. At the Late Night, Double Feature, Picture Show by Jessica Verday

 

Top 2 least favorites, in order:

1. Let’s Get this Undead Show on the Road by Sarah Rees Brennan

2. Leaving by Allie Condie

 

I give Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions a 4 out of 5.

Review: Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris

  Title: Bad Taste in Boys                                         Pages: 201
  Author: Carrie Harris                                              Source: Library
  Publisher: Delacorte Press                                     Published: July 12, 2011
  Series: Kate Grable #1                                           Purchase: Amazon
  Rating: 3.5/4 out of 5

Someone's been a very bad zombie.

Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steroids are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. No one is safe--not her cute crush Aaron, not her dorky brother, Jonah . . . not even Kate!

She's got to find an antidote--before her entire high school ends up eating each other. So Kate, her best girlfriend, Rocky, and Aaron stage a frantic battle to save their town. . . and stay hormonally human.

Bad Taste in Boys was a random read for me, something I just picked up for something quick to read.

The characters weren’t as polished as some other novels I’ve read as of late. They seemed a little rushed, but still enjoyable. Kate Grable, the main heroine, was a very insecure girl, yet she didn’t get any sympathy from me for it. It seemed a tad bit overdone, with Kate constantly putting down herself as being a geek and generally not very pretty and also putting down her work, saying she wasn’t great enough to make it in medical school. This bothered me, because I didn’t feel that she needed to be insecure and it just wasn’t very believable for me.

The romance in Bad Taste in Boys wasn’t as plentiful as I would have liked, but what with all her running around trying to find a cure for the zombies – yeah, well she really didn’t have time for romance. What romance there was, however, was sweet and cute and made me go aww.

Now, the plot.. What can I say about the plot? The plot was like a teenage soap opera with zombies. It seemed overdramatic, yet it was still enjoyable and was more tongue in cheek, rather than serious.

Overall, Bad Taste in Boys is an entertaining read, despite some character flaws. It was light and fun and a great stepping stone to more heavier zombie novels.

Cover Thoughts: I’m not quite sure what the lips with sugar on them really have to do with the story, other than a bit of an oxymoron with the title. However, if I forget about the story, this cover appeals to me and I love the font and colors used.

I give Bad Taste in Boys a 3.5/4 out of 5.

Why a 3.5/4? Well.. I don’t have any half ratings made and am a bit too lazy to make any :).

Review: Run for Cover by Eva Gray

  Title: Run for Cover                                                 Pages: 224 
  Author: Eva Gray                                                   Source: Luxury Reading
  Publisher: Scholastic                                             Published: July 1, 2011
  Series: Tomorrow Girls #2                                      Purchase: Amazon
  Rating: 4 out of 5

When Louisa, Rosie, Evelyn, and Maddie learn the truth about Country Manor School, Rosie finds herself running once again. This time, though, it's because CMS has a secret - it belongs to the Alliance, the opposing team to the War raging around them.

Now, self-appointed leader Rosie finds herself not only trying to protect herself, but three other girls as they flee the school. Rosie does perfectly fine surviving on her own, but can she also take care of three other girls?

And on top of that, the four girls run into three boys from the school across the pond, who want to go with them. Rosie has secrets - should she risk her secrets getting exposed to save them?

Run For Cover is told in first person perspective, through Rosie's eyes. I found this a great way to give each girl their own opinion and a great chance to elaborate further with each girls' personality.

Want to read the rest of this review? Head on over to Luxury Reading.

I give Run for Cover a 4 out of 5.

Review: The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder

  Title: The Day Before                      Pages: 320 
  Author: Lisa Schroeder                   Source: GalleyGrab
  Publisher: Simon Pulse                  Published: Jun 28, 2011
  Series: Standalone                         Purchase: Amazon
  Rating: 4 out of 5

Amber learned some unsettling news that is threatening to tear her life and family apart. She can't take anymore of it, so she escapes to the beach for a day to herself.

While at the aquarium next to the beach, she meets Cade. There's an instant spark. There's something mysterious about Cade, but Amber promises him she won't ask. Today is about having a good time without complications getting in the way.

But as the day goes on, Amber gets more and more curious and more clues start revealing themselves about what's really going on with Cade. What's more, she's determined to give a good day and to find out what's bugging him.

The Day Before is written in verse, a type of writing I've never read, so it was quite the experience. It takes some getting used to and it certainly flies by quickly. I read The Day Before in about two and a half hours or less.

Like previously stated, I devoured The Day Before in one sitting. It was a fast and fun summer romance read.

The characters were great, if a tad bit under developed. I would have loved if Lisa Schroeder would have went more in depth with Amber and Cade, but the fact that she didn't wasn't a huge disappointment for me. I went into the story with no expectations, so I wasn't expecting a long, incredibly in depth book. This is no way a negative about The Day Before, however. Like I said, the fact that they weren't in depth characters didn't bother me as much, because I knew it was just a short, fun, fluff type romance novel, which I love from time to time.

If you love those types of books, like I do, certainly read this one! You'll most likely finish it within two or three hours. Who wouldn't love a book you could pick up and read in that amount of time?

The writing was phenomenal and was almost lyrical. Schroeder describes the setting perfectly. Her writing brings a smile to my face with its simple, yet poetic way of flowing. The romance was wonderful, and Amber and Cade were absolutely adorable together. They carried a coin everywhere they went on the beach to decide what to do next. Heads they throw glitter in the air, tails they fly a kite. Schroeder's dialogue for Amber and Cade was brilliant and realistic.

The plot was of course a tad predictable, as all fluffy romance reads are, but in a way that was like slipping into a warm bath. It's comfortable and you expect the warmth and it makes you smile. The Day Before was exactly like a warm bath for me.

Over all, I really liked The Day Before and would recommend it to anyone looking for a great, fast, and fun summer romance read or anyone that loves novels in verse.

I give The Day Before a 4 out of 5.

Review: Haven by Kristi Cook

  Title: Haven                            Pages: 416 
  Author: Kristi Cook                 Source: Pulse It!
  Publisher: Simon Pulse         Published: February 22, 2011
  Series: N/A?                           Purchase: Amazon
  Rating: 4 out of 5

Violet McKenna has a secret that she's tried to keep hidden from everyone else - she can see the future. Tragic visions starring only her loved ones weigh her down, making her feel different. She tries to warn everyone the best she can without telling them, without ending up in a straitjacket.

Then she is presented with the choice of leaving her hometown of Atlanta and living with her workaholic step mom, or living with her Gran. She chooses to instead go to Winterhaven boarding school, which she has felt inexplicably drawn to ever since she got the glossy brochure.

In fact, Winterhaven has that effect on people with similar talents to Violet's. Talents in telepathy, astral-projection, shape-shifting.. You name it, Winterhaven's got it. This comes as a shock to Violet, but realizes that Winterhaven is a safe haven. She no longer has to pretend to be someone she's not. She finally has friends, and maybe even a boyfriend - Aidan Gray, the hot, intellectual, mysterious mind reader.

But Aidan has his own secrets that are far worse than being able to read someone's mind. And when Violet and Aidan's destinies seem to link up, Violet realizes she might not have a safe haven after all.

I certainly agree with everyone comparing this to Twilight. It felt very similar to me, but better.

The characters in Haven were quite addicting to read about, although some of Violet's reactions were a little over dramatic. She comes across as a smart and different girl, one that doesn't quite seem okay in her own skin. She certainly grows throughout Haven and becomes braver and more comfortable with her abilities, not thinking of herself as such a freak anymore. I love when you can experience character growth in a novel, and Kristi Cook certainly did just that with Haven.

I loved Aidan, too. He was so mysterious and sexy, with how he couldn't seem to keep his eyes off Violet, even though he never took notice to any other girl at Winterhaven. I'm sure that's a lot of women's fantasies, to be the only woman in their man's eyes.

The writing in Haven was awesome, and it made me keep turning pages, even when I had other books I should have probably been reading instead. It was so addicting from page one, all the way to the last page. Granted that Haven seemed a bit clichéd, it totally worked and felt sort of like slipping into your most comfortable shirt and just diving into a book you know would make you happy. This was Haven all the way.

That being said, the plot of course was predictable. I saw the twists coming, save for a few of them, but I didn't care. I devoured it all.

So, if you do not liked clichéd novels, or ones that have the same feel of Twilight, Haven would probably not be for you. But if you just want a novel you know you'd like, one that is equal parts romance and action, then read this one.

I give Haven a 4 out of 5.

Review: Instructions for a Broken Heart by Kim Culbertson

  Title: Instructions for a Broken Heart    Pages: 291
  Author: Kim Culbertson                        Source: Publisher  
  Publisher: Sourcebooks                       Published: May 1, 2011
  Series: Standalone?                             Purchase: Amazon
  Rating: 4 out of 5

Jessa Gardner is a busy girl. Between drama, Honors classes, sports, and other extracurricular activities, she barely has time to read, let alone time for a boyfriend. But she has one, Sean, and she makes it work.

That is, until she finds him in the drama club's costume barn with "the Boob Job" Natalie Stone. What's worse, is that she has to go on a trip to Italy with them in three days, or not go to the country that she's been dreaming about since she was a little girl.

Armed with twenty envelopes from her best friend Carissa titled "Top Twenty Reasons He's a Slimy Jerk Bastard," that each tell her a reason he's a - well, a slimy jerk bastard, and an instruction telling her to do one un-Jessa-like thing everyday for the ten day trip, Jessa sets out to try to get out of the hole she can't seem to get out of.

This book was adorable, first off. I loved the incorporation of Italy's history, which not many books pull off without sounding like a history book. But Kim Culbertson combined the fiction of Instructions for a Broken Heart and the history of Italy with such ease, that no glue leaked out when she sealed them together.

Jessa was such a mess - and for a good reason! - the entire trip, that I couldn't wait to see what crazy instructions her best friend Carissa would tell her to do. I also couldn't wait to see if Jessa would actually do them! Jessa grew so much during the trip to Italy, and at the end, she definitely grew into a better person. One that doesn't take for granted the people and the things around you. One that lives more in the present and sees the beauty in life, rather than always planning each step toward her future.

The only bad thing I concluded about Jessa was that she wasn't described very much, so I never got a true picture of what she looked like, besides the cover. I would have liked more descriptions of her appearance.

The rest of the characters each had their own personality and although some of them could have been classified as "filler characters," I really couldn't tell and found all of them to be enjoyable to read.

Now the writing. The writing was fantastic. Better than fantastic, it was beautiful. It was so poetic at times, but not in a way that seemed like Culbertson was trying too hard. It seemed to me that she just writes that beautifully. She shows you a picture while you read, but doesn't show you too much, so you can't come up with your own picture of what the characters and setting looks like.

The plot was fast-paced and had a couple twists to it that I didn’t expect. The ending is a slight cliff hanger that makes me think Jessa might have more adventures in store for her in the future, which I’d definitely read.

Overall, I loved Instructions for a Broken Heart and there was only one thing that held me back from giving it a perfect score. If you love adorable, fast, light reads, definitely pick this one up. You won't regret it.

I give Instructions for a Broken Heart a 4 out of 5.

 

Disclaimer: Book was provided free to me from the publisher for review. No compensation was received.

Review: Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

  Title: Wicked Lovely           Pages: 328
  Author: Melissa Marr          Source: Library
  Publisher: HarperTeen       Published: Jun 12, 2007         
  Series: Wicked Lovely        Purchase: Amazon
  Rating: 4 out of 5

Aislinn has a secret: she can see faeries. She does all she can to avoid these evil creatures, abiding all her life by simple rules set and enforced by her guardian, her Grams.

Rule #3 – Never stare at invisible faeries.

Rule #2 – Don't answer invisible faeries.

Rule #1 – Don't ever attract faeries' attention.

These rules become increasingly hard to follow when faeries start following her. Even more difficult when one particular faerie dons a glamour to talk to her. Keenan, the Summer King, is determined to see if Aislinn is the Summer Queen that he's been searching for for more than nine centuries. Aislinn isn't the only girl that he's set his eyes on, though.

I had trouble getting through the first half of Wicked Lovely. It was certainly interesting, just a bit slow paced.

Aislinn was another fierce female character. Melissa Marr wrote her perfectly. Marr balances Aislinn's strong, head-held-high attitude with being able to see faeries - something that terrifies her. Aislinn is a character that didn't back down and I loved reading her. She was a wonderfully balanced and amazing heroine. I never once disliked her.

I was definitely rooting on Seth as the pages grew on. I adored the scenes between him and Aislinn, and loved how he tried to 'protect' her from immortal faeries. He acts invincible in an amazingly cute way. I loved his unique personality not normally seen in a co-leading male role.

Now, even though I was definitely on Seth's team, I still loved the character of Keenan. He was written just as beautifully and perfectly as Seth and Aislinn. All three seemed so well thought out and balanced. Most of the characters felt like actual characters instead of filler characters and all of them had a personality, even the smaller characters.

That brings me to the writing and the plot. They were both so well done, that I was incredibly glad I kept reading. Even though it starts off at a slow pace, the pace quickly starts up and captures your attention. Marr writes beautifully and effortlessly in every sense of the words. Her descriptions illustrated Wicked Lovely in, well, a wicked lovely way.

The plot was both surprising and not, but not in a bad sense, more like a comforting way. Some points were foreshadowed and you knew they were going to happen, but many were unexpected twists in the story. It was incredibly unique too, what with the four faerie courts: Summer, Winter, Dark, and High Courts. I enjoyed all the lore that came with it, as well as the excerpts from different books on the subject at the start of each chapter.

Overall, Wicked Lovely was an awesome read and I will definitely read the second in the series.

I give Wicked Lovely a 4 out of 5.

Review: Tithe by Holly Black

  Title: Tithe                                 Pages: 331
  Author: Holly Black                   Source: Library
  Publisher: Simon Pulse            Published: Mar 23, 2011
  Series: Modern Faerie Tales    Purchase: Amazon
  Rating: 4 out of 5

Sixteen-year-old Kaye travels from city to city with her mom and the various bands she's been in. Kaye isn't normal - she's weird actually, but she considers it a good weird. She sees faeries and had three faerie friends when she was little. No one believes her when she tells this to people and they consider her strange.

When Kaye moves back into her Grandma's house where she used to play with the three faeries, she gets a message from them saying that they need her help - they need her to pretend to sacrifice herself for an ancient faerie treaty.

I struggled for the first one hundred or so pages with this book. I just couldn't seem to get into it and wasn't understanding what was happening due to that fact. I'm really glad I trekked on. I love faeries, so I thought this book would be right up my alley. I didn't really know much about the premise, though, but I was really interested as I kept reading on.

The plot was very interesting and heavy with lore, which I loved. I loved learning what a faery Tithe is and learning about the Seelie and Unseelie court. The plot had some unseen twists, which is always welcome, and they were handled quite well. I was frustrated at different times, but I cannot say anything really without giving away the plot (if you'd like to know, please look to the bottom of the review), sort of.

The writing was absolutely lovely. Everything is described beautifully, yet it leaves some details for the imagination, too. The writing is one of the things that made me keep reading the book to the end. Holly Black writes effortlessly and eloquently.

Kaye was an amazing main character because of the fact that she's strong and fearless most of the time. She has her moments of where she's completely naive and in a way scared, which balances her strong personality wonderfully. She was written incredibly well and I simply adored her character.

Roiben was dreamy and so hard to read, I could never tell what his emotions were. I loved the chapters written in his point of view, because I gained some insight to his mind and how it worked. He was so sophisticated it seemed. Another well written character.

My favorite character though, hands down, was Lutie-loo. She was adorable and I found myself practically squealing everytime she came into the story, had dialogue, or did something. I loved her.

Again, I'm very glad that I finished Tithe. I loved Kaye's world and will certainly read Valiant in the near future and am now a fan of Holly Black. I would recommend Tithe to any faerie lovers or if you've never read a book about faeries, I'd recommend Tithe as your intro into the world of these sometimes devious creatures.

I give Tithe a 4 out of 5.

Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler Spoiler
Spoiler!!!! I didn't like that once she learned Roiben's real name, at a number of times she could have commanded him to ignore everyone else's commands and/or to change his name. I was practically screaming at Kaye to realize this :P.

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs review

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs
Source: Library
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lily Sanderson carries a big secret. She's half human, half mermaid and princess of her kingdom, Thalassinia. She can walk on land and swim in the water. Did I mention she's also in love with Brody Bennett? But it isn't a harmless crush. She's looking to bond with him, a connection that happens through a kiss, much like a regular human couple getting married.

But Quince Fletcher seems to get in the way whenever she's making progress with Brody. Why does he have to be such a blowfish?

Forgive My Fins is a wonderful take on the fantasy of mermaids and a wonderful paranormal romance book.

I loved the character of Lily. She's not your normal kind of girl (even without her huge secret). She isn't calm or confident. No, she's more of a basket-case, but that makes her all the more lovable. She's totally insecure with her image and is always worrying about what Brody thinks of her. She's rather blind to what's going on around her, her eyes only on Brody. She's not what you would think her to be, being a princess and all, either.

Quince, oh Gosh was he adorable. I loved his character from the beginning to the end. He has this charm about him, and Tera Lynn Childs wrote his character wonderfully. You can feel how much he cares, even when Lily can't see it. He has the typical bad body I'm-so-cocky-and-you-love-me type of thing going on, yet he can be so sweet at times! He's the perfect mix of excitement and loving.

I loved the writing in this. It was so cute with all the ocean-terminology. You can really tell that Childs thought long and hard about some of the words, phrases, and ideas. The whole book is adorable and I found myself grinning during most of it. The romance was amazing, too, with so much heat to it.

The plot is what you'd expect from a light, quick, cute read. Most of it was predictable, but in a way that's like slipping into an old shirt that fits wonderfully and is so warm. It's comfortable, yet still wonderful.

Overall, Childs wrote an awesome first installment to the Fins series. I look forward to reading the second and seeing where the story leads and am now a fan of Childs' work. Sign me up for any of her upcoming books!

I give Forgive My Fins a 4 out of 5.

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Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick review

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
Source: Library
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nora Grey is back and she's getting into even more deadly situations! She's not entirely over the "incident" with Jules. She gained Patch as a guardian angel from it, but she's still on edge. And that only gets worse when Patch starts hanging around Marcie Millar, Nora's arch-enemy.

To get back at Patch, she starts hanging out with Scott Parnell, an old family friend who used to force her to eat roly polies. She soon realizes Scott carries a secret, which made him flee his old town. And when Nora starts seeing her murdered father, things start weighing down on her. Is he alive? What does he want? And why does Nora feel like something bad is going to happen?

Becca Fitzpatrick created a wonderful series and this is a wonderful second installment.

The characters still have depth just as much as they did in the first book, if not more. They have all evolved and I loved seeing how they stirred up more trouble in the world of fallen angels. Nora did bother me at times, but that wasn't enough for me to dislike the book. She was incredibly naive, but I tried putting myself in her situation and I guess my reaction wouldn't be far off either. I found myself wanting the dialogue to go a different way, though, because if she was mad at Patch for hanging out with Marcie, why didn't she stay on that topic? She was always letting him change the subject and evade answers, which made me want to yell at her (I actually found myself doing that at one point). Then, when he was going to give her answers, she wouldn't accept that and let him talk.

Patch was just as hot and delicious in this book as the first. He's such a bad boy, yet so sweet at the same time, it seems. He's always there for Nora. Name one girl that wouldn't love that!

There were enough twists and turns to keep me guessing and on my toes, and usually I can guess a lot of twists in a book/movie, but there were some twists in Crescendo I didn't predict ahead of time. There was plenty of action and not enough romance for my liking, but it all pulled together and worked. I wish Fitzpatrick would have kept up with Nora and her iron pills, though, as they were only mentioned once in Crescendo and were talked about almost every time Nora got stressed in Hush, Hush, so I felt like a semi-important detail was left out. That was the only flaw of the plot that I could find.

Overall, Fitzpatrick wrote an amazing, action-packed, fast read of a second installment. She wrote this one just as beautifully as the first and the pages were practically ripped from being turned so fast by me. If you are a fan of Hush, Hush, don't waste anytime in reading this one. You won't be disappointed.

I give Crescendo a 4 out of 5.

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Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann review

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann
Source: PulseIt!
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Having just finished the book, its story fresh in my mind so I could review it, I find myself staring at the blank canvas of the text field. What to say about this novel?

Kendall Fletcher is a teenager growing up in the small town of Cryer's Cross. She has a best friend named Nico. Boyfriend, he'd say. She can't bring herself to call him her boyfriend, she doesn't like the commitment of the word. The reason is because Kendall has OCD. Counting her steps, racing thoughts, checking and rechecking locks, rearranging desk, making sure the markers in the one room high school are arranged the Roy G Biv way. This year would be a different one for Kendall, as a fellow student had disappeared May of that year. Tiffany Quinn. The town Sheriff lead a search party to no avail. Tiffany wasn't found.

Enter stage left as two transfer students move to the small town just before Tiffany disappeared. Jacian (Hah-see-AHN, not JAY-se-un!) and Marlena. Rumors start spreading that Jacian might have had something to do with her disappearance. He is afterall, not friendly to anyone. Marlena passes that off as teenage angst in responce to moving. So which is it?

Now, when suddenly Nico disappears after acting really strange, people start wondering if it was Nico that had to do with Tiffany's disappearance. But when Kendall starts getting messages on Nico's desk - which was coincidentally Tiffany's desk the previous year - she realizes something much more sinister might be going on.

I want to start off saying that this was overall a very good book. Most of the characters had personalities - even some of the smaller ones - which usually doesn't happen in a book. Lisa McMann does well in making her characters have voices. And when she writes romance, boy does she write it. Seriously, Jacian was hot!

However, the reason this book doesn't merit a 5 out of 5 are some small nitpicky things that add up for me. First, some of the dialog was just kind of awkward, almost rushed. It felt like filler conversations to push the page count of the book, not to further the story. Second, although Kendall's OCD was apparent sometimes, I wish it would have been made more apparent. There were times I'd get done reading a chapter and then Kendall would go back to school and do her "school routine" involving rearranging the desk, turning the waste basket just so, and arranging the markers, and I'd remember that she had OCD. There'd be a lot of Kendall thinking about how much her OCD consumes her, yet that wasn't made as apparent as I would have liked.

Don't let the previous paragraph or the semi-slow middle of the book throw you off from reading this book though, once you hit the final count down of the book, Lisa McMann pulls you in and doesn't let you up for air until she's done with you. She then leaves you in a speechless sort of haze, not quite knowing what to think yet while you still digest the end of the book you read in a hurried slurr, because you couldn't get enough. Once I took a step back from this book after reading it, I found it was a very enjoyable read with some minor bumps in the road. Another satisfying read from Lisa McMann.

I give this book a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

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